North Olympic Peninsula health officials are preparing for vaccination clinics this weekend that will include members of Phase 1B2.
The entire state can start vaccinating critical workers in 1B2 starting on Wednesday.
Phase 1B2 includes critical workers in congregate settings such as grocery stores, food banks, agriculture, courts, jails and corrections, as well as first responders not vaccinated under 1A, and people older than 16 who are pregnant or who have disabilities that put them at high risk for COVID-19 complications.
People in previous phases such as those 65 or older who are under 1B1, or healthcare workers who fall under 1A, will continue to be eligible for vaccinations.
Jefferson County Emergency Management hopes to open appointment slots Tuesday for the mass vaccination clinic at Chimacum High School this Sunday. However, specific signup plans were still being developed late Monday, said Keppie Keplinger, public information officer.
Once sign ups are live, information will also be posted on the county’s COVID-19 information page at https://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/1429/COVID-19, she said.
The Chimacum High School Clinic will have 300 doses of Moderna’s vaccine and will operate from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. to vaccinate those within 1B2 and previous phases, said Dr. Tom Locke, Jefferson County health officer.
Appointment for the Port Angeles High School vaccination clinic this Saturday and Sunday will open Wednesday at 9 a.m. for Phase 1B2 members and prior phase members. Clallam County residents or people who work in Clallam and qualify for vaccinations can schedule appointments at http://vaccine.clallam.net/ register or by phone at 360-417-2430.
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, as a sovereign nation, has the choice to follow the state’s vaccination priorities or modify them, which it is now doing. The tribe is already scheduling appointments for people within 1B2 for it’s Sequim clinic today and Thursday, as well as including people older than 50, according to the tribe’s website.
County- , pharmacy- or hospital-run vaccination clinics are required to follow the state’s priorities and therefore the 50-and-older demographic is strictly just the Jamestown clinic, said Dr. Allison Berry, Clallam County health officer.
“We are happy and grateful that the Jamestown tribe is making vaccine available to people 50 and over in our community, and it’s important if you’re in that group and you want a spot to sign up,” she said. “We can’t do that in Port Angeles or Forks.”
Jefferson Healthcare’s clinic is continuing this week, and those who qualify under 1B2 or prior phases can make appointments at https://jeffersonhealthcare.org/covid-19-vaccine.
Both Clallam and Jefferson counties confirmed one new case of COVID-19 Monday, according to public health data.
Clallam County has confirmed 25 cases of COVID-19 so far this month, about 2.44 percent of the 1,026 cases confirmed during the past year, according to county data.
Jefferson County has one confirmed case this month, about 0.3 percent of the 337 cases confirmed in the past year, according to county Public Health data.
Eleven COVID-19 cases were active as of Monday in Clallam County. Jefferson County had one active case.
Jefferson County is in the state’s low-risk category with a case rate of 3.13 per 100,000 population, while Clallam County is in the state’s moderate-risk category with a case rate of 34 per 100,000 for the two weeks prior as to Monday.
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Jefferson County reporter Zach Jablonski can be reached at 360-385-2335, ext. 5, or at zjablonski@peninsuladailynews.com.
